Housing and Homelessness
Support for unsheltered residents during COVID-19
If you are an RGI tenant or co-op member in community housing, you must file your income tax return every year.
Find Free Income Tax Clinics.
Visit the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website to Register for My Account.
The CRA My Account gives you quick access to your tax information when you need it.
Apply for housing
You can apply for rental housing in Durham Region through private landlords, community housing and affordable housing providers. You can also apply for housing assistance to make your rent more affordable.
Community and affordable housing providers may offer seniors' housing or accessible (modified) units. Some community agencies also offer supportive or alternative housing.
There can be long waits for community housing and for housing assistance. You will likely need to find your own rental housing in the private market while you are on the affordable housing waiting list.
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Community housing and rent-geared-to-income (RGI) |
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The Region of Durham funds and monitors most community housing providers in the region. We also operate the Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation (DRLHC). It is the largest community housing provider in the region. All community housing providers offer RGI. Some private landlords also provide RGI under agreement with the Region of Durham. Keep in mind that there is a long wait list for RGI units. |
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Affordable housing |
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Affordable housing is housing that was developed with government funding. Rents in affordable housing are about 80 per cent of the average market rent for similar units in the area. Affordable housing providers keep their own wait lists. |
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Seniors' housing |
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| Seniors' housing
Some community and affordable housing providers have properties where only seniors live. Others have specific units for seniors but also house non-seniors. Seniors’ housing may be rent-geared-to-income (RGI) or market rent, and some units may be modified for accessibility. |
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Accessible (modified) housing |
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Some community and affordable housing providers have units that are modified to make them accessible for people using a wheelchair or with other special needs. |
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Supportive and alternative housing |
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If you need help to live independently in the community, you can apply for supportive or alternative housing.
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Portable housing benefits |
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A portable housing benefit (PHB) is a monthly benefit paid directly to eligible low-income households to bridge the gap between affordable rent (roughly 30 percent of income) and some or all of average market rent.
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Short-term housing programs |
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From time to time, the Region of Durham is able to provide short-term rent subsidy to low income households on the RGI waiting list. This subsidy reduces the cost of rent for you. The rent subsidy may be payable directly to your landlord in the Durham Housing Benefit program or directly to you in the Housing Allowance program. You must be eligible, and in some cases we must have an agreement with your landlord to provide the subsidy. Tenants are selected from the RGI waiting list when there is funding available. At this time there is no space in these programs. |
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Other community housing providers |
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Some community housing providers in Durham Region are not funded by the Region of Durham. They keep their own wait lists and may offer market rent units, subsidized units or units that have been modified for accessibility. |
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Find rental housing in the private market |
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Housing outreach workers can also help you find affordable market rent housing. Find a housing outreach worker in your area Some community housing providers have both rent-geared-to-income (RGI) and market rent units. Their market rents are sometimes lower than rents with private landlords. You do not have to be eligible for RGI to apply for a market rent unit. Contact the housing provider directly to apply for a market rent unit. Contact community housing providers about market rent vacancies These providers are funded by the Region of Durham. Contact other community housing providers about market rent vacancies These providers are not funded by the Region of Durham. |
Help if you are homeless
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Emergency Shelters |
| Find information for emergency shelters and shelters for people fleeing violence or abuse. |
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Shelters for people fleeing violence or abuse |
| Find information on shelters and services for people fleeing violence or abuse. |
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Housing help |
| Get help to find or keep your housing. |
| Métis Housing Stabilization Program |
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This program is offered through the Métis Nation of Ontario. This is a great resource for Métis Nation of Ontario citizens who are homeless, at immediate risk of becoming homeless, or in an unstable housing situation. |
Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation (DRLHC)
We operate the largest community housing provider in Durham. Find out more about Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation (DRLHC), including information for tenants.
Contact Us
